For many people in the Netherlands and Belgium, Easter is a time of peace, togetherness and new hope. Nature awakens, children search for eggs in the garden and families sit down for a cozy Easter brunch. But how do you experience Easter if you live in Thailand or are on vacation there? Can you hold on to the familiar feeling of this spring festival, even if you are thousands of kilometers away from home?
The answer is yes, although in Thailand the celebration often takes on a surprisingly different colour.
The Easter feeling in the Netherlands and Belgium
For many Dutch and Belgians, Easter brings back warm memories: the smell of freshly baked bread, brightly colored eggs on the table and children giggling through the garden in search of chocolate. In Catholic regions, the religious side of the holiday also plays an important role, with silent marches, church services and stories about new life and hope.
But Easter is more than rituals. It is a time of slowing down. Of being together, of going outside and enjoying the first spring sun. A moment when ordinary life pauses for a moment.
Easter in a tropical country
In Thailand, Easter is not something you notice on the streets. No Easter decorations in the shopping streets, no crowded brunch locations and no chocolate Easter eggs in the supermarket. But that does not mean you have to skip the celebration. Especially in a new country, you can consciously choose to celebrate Easter your way – with a tropical touch.
Many Dutch and Belgians living in Thailand seek contact with others from their community during this period. Sometimes with a communal brunch or lunch in the garden, sometimes with a relaxed gathering on the beach. No fixed form, no obligations, just the desire to pause for a moment to consider what Easter means to you.
An Easter table full of sun
Who says you need an oven or a Dutch supermarket for Easter? In Thailand, you can create a surprisingly festive Easter table with local ingredients. Think of a brunch with fresh fruit, Thai coconut pancakes, egg dishes, fragrant rice and maybe even a glass of fresh mango juice.
And anyone with children knows: searching for eggs works just as well between palm trees as in a Dutch garden. You only have to hide a few boiled eggs or plastic eggs and the party begins.
At home in faraway Thailand
For those who have lived in Thailand for a long time, Easter sometimes takes on a deeper meaning. Living in a different culture makes you more sensitive to what really counts: connectedness, attention, simplicity. Easter does not have to be grand or traditional. Sometimes a cup of coffee in the morning sun is enough. Or a phone call to family in the Netherlands or Belgium. Or just consciously reflecting on the life you are building here with everything that entails.
In a Buddhist environment, Easter may feel different, but that doesn’t make it any less valuable. The message of new beginnings, light and hope is universal. And perhaps it will be even more meaningful if you celebrate it in peace, without commercial pressure or outside expectations.
A party that you shape yourself
Whether you are staying at a resort, living on a quiet Thai island or have a small house in the interior: Easter can be celebrated anywhere. It is not about the form, but about the feeling. Who you include, what you want to say with it, and what warmth you put into it.
So get those eggs (or coconuts, if that fits better) and make something beautiful out of it. Your way. With attention, love and maybe a little bit of homesickness. Because that too is part of being far from home.
Closing comments
Easter reminds us that there is always room for something new. A fresh start, an open heart, a moment of connection. Wherever you are. In the Netherlands, Belgium, or on a sunny morning in Thailand.
Perhaps that is the most beautiful form of Easter: the freedom to celebrate it the way you want.
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Beautifully worded, and indeed I was almost past Easter without paying attention to the date. I don't live among the farang as they call me here, maybe that's the reason. Through my contact on FB with friends and family you suddenly realize oh dear it's already Easter. I wish you all a nice Easter day.